Accordion shift mechanism



Nova 8, 1938. c. LINDEBERG ACCORDION SHIFT MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 18, 1938 laden/T1. Cgzr/Zzzzaezy 61y N 3, 1938' c. LINDEBERG 2 l36,1l2

ACCORDION SHIFT MECHANI SM Filed Feb. 18, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ators automatically to Patented Nov. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Carl Lindeberg, De Kalb, 111.,

Rudolph Wurlitzer Company,

corporation of Ohio assignor to The De Kalb, 11]., a

Application February 18, 1938, Serial No. 191,254

12 Claims.

This invention relates to shift mechanism for accordions, and its purpose is to prov1de a simple mechanism for operating the slide valves associated with the several reed blocks for varying the combinations of reeds employed at any given time, and thus varying the quality of tone produced by the instrument. One object of the invention is to provide a shift mechanism having a plurality of actuators each connected for operating a certain slide or combination of slides, and so arranged that the operation of one actuator effects the return of the other actuator or actunormal position; another object is to provide a shift mechanism in which -it controls. Other objects description proceeds.

each actuator serves as an indicator to show theposition or condition of the slide or slides which will appear as the The invention consists of certain features and elements of construction in combination, as herein shown and described and as indicated by the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of the key bed of --an accordion equipped with shift mechanism embodying this invention, the view also including the treble wind-chest adjacent the key board,

with certain portions broken away to reveal de- :tails of the mechanism.

Figure 2 is a transverse section taken as indicated at line 2-2 on Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing a modified form of the mechanism.

For purposes oi illustration the dnwmgs show t trim ti it relatively small-tut tint it 35 cordion with the bottom cover removed from the key bed, I, thus exposing certain mechanism Which is mounted thereon. The Wind-chest for the treble reeds is shown at 2, with portions of its walls broken away to reveal certain mechanical connections. The shift mechanism includes a plurality of slidable actuators, 3, which are shown mounted for movement parallel to each other and transversely of the front edge, 4, of the key bed. Each of them has a manually engageable portion, 5, which extends in front of the edge, 4, of the key bed, and is pushed inwardly toward the edge, 4, in operating the actuator, 3. Each actuator bar, 3, is formed with guide slots, 6, through which guide posts or screws, 1, extend into the key bed, I.

As will be readily understood, the Wind-chest, 2, contains several rows or blocks of reeds each sub-divided into separate reed chambers, as seen at 8, and with ports, 9, for each of said chambers through which air flows for sounding the corresponding reeds. The several rows of ports, 9, are controlled by slidable valve members, such as that indicated at ID in Figure l, and these slide valves are shifted individually or in groups by means of the several actuators, 3.

Each actuator, 23, is connected to one arm, II, of a bell crank which includes a short shaft or pivotal portion, I2, extending through a wall, I3, of the wind-chest, 2, with its other arm, I4, adjacent the inner side of said wall. Said arm I4, of each bell crank is connected by a link, I5, to the crank arm, I6, of one of the rock shafts, I1, mounted in the end of the wind-chest, 2. Each of said rock shafts, I'I, supports one or more rocker arms like that shown at I8, engaging an opening in the end of the slide valve, I0, so that rocking movement of the shaft, II, serves for shifting the valve from its closed position to its open position, and vice-versa. Each of the actuators, 3, is provided with spring means for yieldingly urging it to its normal position, that is, away from the edge, 4, of the key bed, and, as shown, such spring means consists in coil springs, IQ, each connected to one of the bell crank arms, I4, and anchored at 20 to a pin or post set in the wall, I3. When any one of the actuators, 3, is depressed in opposition to the spring, l9, it is retained at that limit of its movement by springpressed detent means which automatically engages the actuator and holds it in that position until released. A feature of the present invention is that such release of any actuator may be accomplished automatically by depressing antler tilt ill the until, i, ill by the use of t special relate tn, l\, with ill ti: ltltilti described.

As shown, the detent means consists of separate pivoted pawls, 22, one for each actuator, 3, but all connected together by means of a tie bar, 23, and urged into engagement with the actuators by a spring, 24, which may react against one of the pawls, 22, as shown, or against the bar, 23, if preferred. Each actuator, 3, is formed with two notches in the edge adjacent the pawl, 22, one of said notches affording an abutment shoulder, 25, engageable by the hook or nose of the pawl, 22, for retention of the actuator, 3, when it is depressed in the position in which the lefthand actuator of Figure 1 is shown. Adjacent the abutment shoulder, 25, and leading thereto, the edge of each actuator provides an oblique cam surface, 26, which rides against the nose of the pawl, 22, as the actuator, 3, is depressed, and. thus shifts the pawl laterally until the cam surface terminating at the shoulder, 25, moves past plurality of movable actuators each having manually engageable means for moving it in one direction, and spring means for moving it in the opposite direction, detent means for all the actuators movable as a unit between holding position and release position, and means by which the manually-caused movement of any actuator shifts the dentent means to release position, thus releasing any other actuator which the detent means may be holding, together with a plurality of reed blocks and slide valves therefor with linkage connecting said valves respectively to the several actuators to be shifted thereby.

12. Accordion shift mechanism including a plurality of movable actuators each having a finger-piece for moving it in one direction and spring means for moving it in the opposite direction, spring-pressed detent means for holding each actuator at the limit of its manually-caused movement, whereby the relative positions of the finger-pieces provide visual indication of the adjustment of mechanism connected to the actuators, and means by which the manual operation of any actuator shifts the detent means and releases any other actuator held thereby for return movement by its spring means, together with a plurality of reed blocks and slide valves therefor with linkage connecting said valves respectively to the several actuators to be shifted thereby.

CARL LINDEBERG.

K. NUCHTERLEIN REFLEX ,C AMERA Nov. 8, 1938. 2,136,148

5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 18, 1937 w @w AWW vim 

